Leather cycling for the body: what it is and how to do it

Leather cycling has to be one of the biggest skincare trends to trend Tick ​​Tock during the past year. #skincycling The hashtag has over 3.5 billion views on the platform led by Gen Z and unlike many skin care trends, this is one for experts to watch. Until now, it has always referred to a skin care routine for the face. But now, our bodies are springing into action.

The coin “skin cycling” was named by the New York dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowewhose now-viral TikTok video has garnered over 2.4 million views to date.

“The leather bike seems to have resonated with so many people around the world because it’s a very intuitive and flexible framework that serves as a model for learning to listen to your skin,” Bowe told HuffPost. “You have guidance that provides structure, organization, and reduces guesswork and stress when it comes to optimizing your skin care routine.”

Let’s talk about why skin cycling is a practice that can be applied to the skin of your body, not just your face.

Skin Cycle promotes the idea of ​​using fewer skin care products per day. Many followers adopt a four-day cycle (see details here), changing the skincare products they use each night, rather than stacking them all at once. This not only provides a more balanced routine, but also a much-needed break from strong acids and active ingredients. It seems so:

• First night, exfoliation
• Second night, retinol
• Nights three and four, recovery

“People were adding layer after layer to their skin care routine and experimenting with combinations of ingredients that were both irritating and harmful,” Bowe said. “It was a recipe for breaking the skin barrier.”

Esthetician and product developer Alicia Lartey she said the skin cycle works almost like a recipe, where you use actives to combat a condition and then focus on hydrating and repairing the skin. This easy-to-follow routine is something that has resonated with many people.

The classic four-night leather cycling routine is also good for the body, Bowe said. “Depending on your skin’s needs, you can adjust the frame to fit your skin where it is. However, I recommend thicker, richer moisturizers for the body than the face on recovery nights.”

The skin on the body is thicker, which means it can withstand stronger ingredients than on the face. On the body, heavier creams usually work very well, but on the face they can clog pores.

You should be especially careful if you are prone to eczema, psoriasis or any other similar condition and consult your doctor before starting any new routine.

“The skin on the body tends to have fewer sebaceous glands than the skin on the face, so moisturizing is very important, especially for dry skin and in dry conditions,” said a board-certified dermatologist in New York. Dr. Hadley King.

Bowe explained that the face ages faster due to facial expression and tight muscles, but some areas of the body (such as the knees or arms) are still prone to thinning. “We can see some skin problems on the body similar to what we see on the face: like breakouts on the chest and back, where the sebaceous glands are more concentrated. We see clogged pores on the arms and thighs,” said Bowe.

There are a few ways to make this body cycling routine even better, explained board-certified dermatologist Dr. Anar Mikailov. “The key is to apply the body lotion while the skin is still slightly damp, within two to three minutes of getting out of the shower or bath.”

“For normal skin types, exfoliate two to three times a week, either in the shower with a gentle exfoliating wash or with a gentle serum or body lotion. Look for formulas with low doses of AHA or PHA. If you’re using an exfoliating cleanser, use your regular moisturizer after you shower,” Mikailov said. For dry skin, you can also benefit from moisturizing twice a day.

Exfoliation not only helps skin texture, but also dark spots and pigmentation, as well as minimizing ingrown hairs. Peptides and retinoids can help structure the skin by preventing thinning of the skin, often seen on the hands, chest, arms and above the knees. “Retinoids also help increase cell turnover, increase collagen and elastin production, and reduce discoloration,” King said.

“For me, recovery nights are especially important – the skin barrier is just as important to supporting the body as the face,” said Bowe. Products used on recovery nights will strengthen the skin barrier and promote skin repair.

“It uses ingredients like squalene, peptides, gotu kola and all other skin conditioning agents like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, fatty acids and sometimes some butters depending on the skin type (eg petroleum jelly to act as a barrier)”, Lartey. explained.

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